Holmes Towers Infill proposal: what we know George M. Janes & - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

11/28/2018

George M. Janes & Associates

250 E. 87th Street New York, NY 10128

Tel: 646.652.6498 george@georgejanes.com

Holmes Towers

Infill proposal: what we know

In August, NYSDEC certified a Brownfield application for the building proposed on Holmes Towers

At 6,400 pages, the purpose of the application is to obtain public money for clean- up of prior industrial use But only in the outlined area

For 100 years prior to redevelopment, the waterfront was used for semi-industrial uses Including:

• Coal yard
• Lumber yard
• Garage and filling

station

The application finally tells us what is planned here

• A 50-story, 501 feet to roof, mixed-use residential and community

facility

• 339 residential units, including 169 affordable units*
• The application says that the building is “as-of-right” under the R8

zoning district

• This is incorrect: the plans submitted will not comply with the R8

zoning district

*RFP required at least an average of 60% of AMI, eligible for subsidy, not permanently affordable

Existing conditions

Existing Holmes Towers Part of Isaacs Houses

Building as proposed

Holmes Towers Part of Isaacs Houses

Proposed residential tower

• approx. 501 feet

to roof Community facility base

It rises over 500 feet, just three feet from the streetline

Holmes Towers Part of Isaacs Houses

Narrow street standard sky exposure plane This part of the building does not comply

There is no zoning district in NYC that allows a building more than 155 feet at the streetline, let alone 500 feet

• It grossly fails the required sky

exposure plane for an R8 district

• It appears to follow other R8 zoning

requirements (open space, FAR, coverage, etc.)

• The building will need a Mayoral

Zoning Override

What is a Mayoral Zoning Override?

• A discretionary action taken by the Mayor that allows projects with a

public interest to waive zoning

• Once rare, they have historically been used for public schools.

Brooklyn Navy Yard has one to waive parking requirements. Typically, they are for small things.

• Bloomberg used a Mayoral Zoning Override to allow a demonstration

project with very small apartments or “micro-units”

• Requires an environmental review, but does not require ULURP
• This is likely the biggest Mayoral Zoning Override attempted in NYC

So what’s the big deal?

• No ULURP means the CB, BP and City Council have no say
• In 2015, the City tried to change the Zoning Resolution’s

building spacing rule (23-70)

• Residential buildings on a single zoning lot must either abut or be

60 feet apart

• The City tried to change the distance to 40 feet
• This change would make infill on NYCHA estates MUCH easier!

• Green areas show

sites at 60 foot spacing

• Hatched areas show

40 foot spacing

• The difference is

meaningful to development feasibility

In 2015, I used Holmes to show what the change would mean for infill! In 2016, City Council rolled back the change to discourage ad hoc development on these sites

• Zoning is a law,

passed by City Council

• The administration

needs to follow the law

• Because City

Council’s action is recent, a mayoral

• verride is likely

more vulnerable to an Article 78 lawsuit

In 2016, City Council rolled back the change to discourage ad hoc development on these sites – And that’s the big deal

Infill is an important part of NextGen NYCHA

–

The example in NextGen is comprehensive and excellent

–

East River Houses infill design: Kohn Pedersen Fox

There have been many great ideas for infill on these developments

Existing height factor site in the Bronx

Infill development here would improve urban design and reconnect the project to the street grid

Building in your Backyard: Affordable Land for Affordable Housing Sumner Existing

Building in your Backyard: Affordable Land for Affordable Housing Sumner infilled

Design by Michael Kwartler

Existing Conditions Plan View

Infill on a height factor site, Baruch Houses

Proposed Conditions Plan View

Design by Frank Fish Infill on a height factor site, Baruch Houses

Possible Housing Typologies Elevations

Design by Frank Fish Infill on a height factor site, Baruch Houses

Columbia Studio 2014

Columbia Studio 2014

Pratt / Civitas study (~2009) Taft Houses Scenario 1: Preserve and Infill

Pratt / Civitas study (~2009) Taft Houses Scenario 2: Modify and Expand

Pratt / Civitas study (~2009) Taft Houses Scenario 3: Growth/Livability Option

NYCHA estates are the last great reservoir of unbuilt land in NYC

• Most other infill designs look at not only new housing but the

housing that is already there

• How can the entire development be better for NYCHA and their

residents, but also the residents of the neighborhood and the new buildings?

• None treat infill here as excess real estate: Most NYCHA campuses

could be better, but not by selling them off piecemeal

Finally, there are other options

• The developer could ask the BSA for a variance
• A text amendment to allow a special permit for large scale residential

development (LSRD) that can waive the sky exposure plane, coverage

• r open space
• A text amendment to allow the form, and a map amendment for a

Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area so that the affordable housing was permanently affordable

• I believe that a real plan that considers:
• Holmes, Isaacs, NYCHA’s needs,
• the City’s affordable housing goals,
• necessary resiliency improvements, and
• the larger community,

is still possible and could get through ULURP

11/28/2018

George M. Janes & Associates

250 E. 87th Street New York, NY 10128

Tel: 646.652.6498 george@georgejanes.com

Holmes Towers

Infill proposal: what we know